Maternal Health Survey 2007

Training and Fieldwork

Listing and data collection during the first phase was carried out by 15 teams (each with 5 listers and 5 mappers) and 10 experienced staff supervising the operation. Data collection for the second phase of the survey was carried out by 20 interviewing teams. Each interviewing team consisted of a supervisor, a female editor, and four female interviewers. GSS and GHS were responsible for the recruitment and training of all team members. The implementing organizations recruited and trained a number of staff in excess of the number needed for the 20 interviewing teams, to allow for some attrition during the training period and the early phase of fieldwork. Personnel trained for field positions were well educated, with prior field experience, and the ability to speak one or two of the local languages. They were recruited on the basis of maturity, friendliness, language skills, and willingness to work away from home during the three months of fieldwork.

The implementing organizations were also responsible for conducting the training of team supervisors, editors, and interviewers. The training course lasted two weeks and included a question-by-question explanation of the content of the questionnaires, instructions on how to fill out each question in the questionnaires, instructions on interviewing procedures, and field procedures to be followed during the survey. Training consisted of classroom lectures, mock interviews in the classroom, and practice interviewing in an area close to the training site. Each interviewer completed at least three practice interviews during the training period. These practice interviews were carefully edited to catch interviewing errors and were used in the selection of interviewers for the fieldwork. As part of the training program, participants were given a thorough understanding of their duties and responsibilities. Following the completion of the main training, field staff selected to be supervisors and editors underwent an additional day’s training on field logistics and editing procedures. Supervisors and editors received special training on administering the verbal autopsy questionnaires. During recruitment, special emphasis was given to the selection of field staff with strong health backgrounds to become supervisors and editors.

During the main survey work, close communication was maintained at all times between the GMHS survey office at the GSS headquarters and the interviewing teams in the field. The procedure for supervision and communication between headquarters and the field staff during data collection was specified in the Listing Manual and the Interviewer’s and Supervisor’s Manuals and discussed during training for the survey. The implementing organizations—with the help of an accounting firm hired to monitor and disburse project funds—were responsible for ensuring that sufficient funds were transferred in a timely manner to team supervisors, to cover the costs of operating vehicles, communications, and per diem payments to all team members. GSS and GHS were responsible for ensuring that field staff had their materials (maps and lists of households to be interviewed) and supplies (questionnaires).